Headteachers at many of the borough’s poorest performing schools have remained tight-lipped over changes in the way Ofsted inspections are marked.

Under proposals announced by the watchdog on Tuesday last week, schools ranked as “satisfactory” will now be adjudged as “requires improvement” and will be re-inspected more regularly.

No school would be allowed to stay at this rating for more than three years.

Those schools in this category will be subject to earlier re-inspection and any still failing will be placed on special measures.

Teaching unions have accused Ofsted of “ratchetting up pressure on schools” without providing the support and resources they need to make improvements.

John Ennis, lead councillor for education and children’s services at Reading Borough Council, said it was the council’s priority to make every school “good”, but admitted being suspicious of the changes.

He said: “While some schools that are ‘satisfactory’ do need improvement, it could undermine others that have worked to improve and send them on a downward spiral.

“The Government has lumped them all together to force them out of local authority control and into academy status and then we will never know what goes on in schools. They are trying to say our education system is broke, but it’s not.”

A third of the borough’s 50 schools – 15 primaries, two secondaries and the pupil referral unit – were ranked “satisfactory” in their last Ofsted inspection.

Two got the lowest ranking of “inadequate” and were put on special measures.

The Reading Post contacted all schools currently “satisfactory” or “inadequate” but was told no-one was available. They were not prepared to comment or gave no response.

Her Majesty’s chief inspector for schools Sir Michael Wilshaw put forward the proposals ahead of a summit on “coasting schools” – those that have remained ‘satisfactory’ over a number of inspections.

He said: “Of particular concern are the 3,000 schools educating a million children that have been ‘satisfactory’ two inspections in a row. This is not good enough.

“That is why I am determined to look again at the judgements we award, not only so we are accurately reporting what we see, but so that those schools that most need help can properly begin the process of improvement.”